Kosmetische Medizin 2013 (34)2: 62-67

Engineering Assisted Surgery(tm)

Ninian Peckitt

KEYWORDS: CAT scans, Engineering Assisted SurgeryTM (EAS), oral and maxillofacial surgery, titanium implants

SUMMARY:
New developments in engineering, used for the first time in oral and maxillofacial surgery, permit the manufacture of accurate anatomical biomodels of the skeleton from CAT scans (rapid prototyping). Biomodels have been used in diagnosis and treatment planning in conjunction with existing clinical interventions. EAS technology lends itself evolution of new treatments and clinical procedures, previously not possible and has been the catalyst for the design / manufacture of customized titanium implants for the single staged reconstruction of the orofacial region using very simple cost effective interventions. These may be carried out without surgery from a second surgical site, and obviate the necessity for complex flap surgery. Implants are inserted with relatively atraumatic surgical protocols permitting, for the first time, a single staged orofacial reconstruction, including the dentition.